PAUL GARDINER played the round of his life “by a country mile” to win the Winter Stableford at Cirencester Golf Club on Saturday.

Gardiner needed just 73 shots to complete 18 holes, posting a jaw-dropping stableford score of 50 points off his handicap of 17, which gave him a runaway victory by seven shots.

His fellow members will be keen to know he has been cut from 17 to 13.

Spare a thought for Andrew McKechnie whose merely magnificent 43 points was only good enough to finish in clear second spot.

“It was one of those days when it all came together,” admitted a slightly embarrassed Gardiner.

“I never missed a fairway, nor did I three putt. And if I was just off the green I putted rather than chipped and always put them close.

“It wasn’t totally immaculate golf, though, because I thinned four iron shots – but they went along the ground, around the contours of the green and nestled near the hole.

“I was one under par on the front nine and I just told myself to stay calm. I started back with three bogeys but got the second birdie of the round on 16 and parred in for a strong finish.”

Right-hander Gardiner has a ‘don’t try this at home’ technique where he grips the club with his left hand below his right.

“I’ve never had a lesson in my life and with my technique I am basically unteachable,” he said, but he is mighty effective as he also showed when winning the club’s Tovey Cup knockout competition in 2016.

“My best previous round was 77 but that was on winter greens. The lads I play with regularly know I have it in me but I am not very consistent. Even when I won the Tovey Cup I played nothing like I did on Saturday.

“I have rightly been cut four shots but I hope I can still be competitive – a 13 handicap is probably where I should be.”

Winter Stableford

SCORES: 1, Paul Gardiner (17) 50pts; 2, Andrew McKechnie (18) 43pts; 3, Colin Ricks (9) 39pts; 4, David Bamford (23) 39pts; 5, Neil Selby (20) 39pts; 6, Paul Simmonds (11) 39pts.

The following players hit birdie twos in the competition: Chris Bruton (9th); Mike Burgess (9th); Jennifer Dunning (9th) Dave Gardiner (9th); Darren Robison (9th); Paul Thompson (9th); Danny Hall (11th); Andy Brereton (13th); Dave Walters (13th); Terry Hambling (18th); Paul Thompson (18th).